25 Days of Christmas
by CosenAngel
Summary: One small story each day before Christmas. A total of 25 chapters. AU. Mostly Sakura-Centric, but also Team 7-Centric! Each Chapter will be about 300-500 words.
1. 1st December

**1****st**** December.**

Snow was slowly falling outside. Haruno Sakura was sitting inside her office looking out. Decembers first's day was soon over. She smiled to her self and took a small sip of the hot coco. First of December had been a busy day, trying to work out the hospital schedules for the Christmas days. Together with Tsunade she had made a pretty good schedule.

'_I can't believe it's so close to Christmas'_ she took another sip _'I haven't even started getting gifts! I'll start with that tomorrow' _

After drowning her last coco she took on her coat and walked down to the entrance.

"Bye Haruno-san" the receptionist said with a smile.

"Bye Kurosaki-san, I'll see you tomorrow" Sakura waved and walked out in the snow.

She decided to walk home, it would take her twenty minutes instead of the usual five but she didn't have any reason to rush.

----

Half way home she saw someone she recognised on a bench. She walked over there and sat down next to him.

"Hello Sakura" He said and turned towards her, pocketing his book.

"Hi Kakashi-sensei" she answered "How come you sit here in the cold, reading instead of in your home where it's warm?"

"Maybe I wanted to meet my favourite student" he said, smiling.

"But Sasuke is on a mission" Sakura answered with a laugh.

"Very funny, Sakura" he shook his head.

"I know" she smiled "I've always had a good sense of humour"

They sat in silence for a while, just enjoying the presence of one another. With out any kind of warning Sakura rose to her feet.

"Now I'll be doing something I haven't done for years" she said before throwing herself down in the snow, landing in her back.

"What are you doing?" Kakashi said, standing up "Isn't it stupid to lie down on the cold ground?"

"I'm making a snow-angel. Just watch" Sakura said and started waving her arms and feet while Kakashi just looked at her.

"I can't believe you're nineteen" He said shaking her head.

"You're getting old Kakashi-sensei. Now help me up" she stretched out her hands so that Kakashi could pull her up. As soon as she was up she got over to the head of the snow-angel and drew a Gloria. She walked over to Kakashi and looked down at her master piece.

"There, the first snow-angel of this year." She said with a smile.


	2. 2nd December

**2nd December**

Sakura was sitting at Ichirakus during the lunch hour, waiting for a special blond person. As she sat there she started to think about what she should get him for Christmas. Even though he had been her best friend for years she had absolutely no idea at all. _'I'll ask him what he wants as soon as he shows up' _A few seconds later Naruto showed up.

"Hiya Sakura-chan!" He sat down next to her and ordered a bowl of miso ramen.

"Hello, Naruto" she answered with a smile. "It's been a while"

"I know" He shovelled down the ramen "how are you?"

"I'm fine, just thinking about what to get you for Christmas." She said, eating some of her own food.

"Oh, I know!" he shone up and smiled at her.

"What?" she asked.

"A kiss" He grinned at her.

"Naruto!" She shouted and hit him in the head.

"Just kidding" he laughed at her.

"What do you want?" Sakura asked her best friend.

"Anything from you will make me happy!"

"That really helps" she rolled her eyes at him and finished her ramen.

"What about you then?" Naruto said, starting his third bowl.

"What?" she looked kind of confused.

"What do you want for Christmas?" he asked her.

"Hmm… I'm not sure" she said with a small smile.

"How about we go home and write a list to Santa?" Narutos face shone up and he looked like a kid in a candy store.

"Uhh… Sure, sounds like fun!" Sakura said.

"Let's meet here at ten! So we can send them together!" he grinned and finished his bowl.

"Okay, See you to night!" she said. She paid her food and left for work.

---

Sakura was sitting at home; a piece of paper was lying empty in front of her. She sipped her hot coco, it had become a small habit to drink at least one cup each day.

'_How to start? I feel kind of silly doing this. But It makes Naruto happy.'_ She took the pen and started to write a half decent letter.

_Dear Santa!  
__I feel Kind of silly writing to you, but I did promise Naruto so I guess its okay.  
__I don't know what I want, but I'd like to have them all here on Christmas day. I guess you know who I'm thinking about?! That's actually all I really want for Christmas!  
__Oh! A new knitted scarf would be wonderful, preferably a white one!  
__Merry Christmas,  
__Haruno Sakura_

---

It had started to snowing again. She smiled to herself as she waited for Naruto to show up.

"Hi Sakura-Chan!" Her best friend called as he showed up and gave her a big hug. "It's snowing!"

"Hi there Naruto. What do you say, should we post these now?" she laughed at him.

"Yes!" He took her hand and pulled her towards the closest mail box. They quickly reached it and soon they both had posted their letters to Santa.

"I hope he'll get them." Naruto said as they started to walk back.

"Of course he will, as long as you believe in him he'll be there and he'll read the letters you send and make your wishes come true, one way or another" Sakura said with a confident smile "I promise!"


	3. 3rd December

**3rd December **

To day was a bad day. She knew that from the moment she woke up with a horrible headache. And this far nothing had proved her wrong. First she'd been late for a meeting, and then she had to sit that through with her head pounding and the elders whining. Then there had been a meeting with Sunagakure, both the Kazekage and a few Suna-elders.

At lunch time her headache was almost worse than earlier. She decided to take a short nap in her office, before returning to the meeting again.

_'A short nap will be fine'_ she thought and took a sip of her coffee. _'I just need a few minutes to relax'_

Quickly she fell asleep.

---

What felt like a few minutes later she was woken by a hard knock on her door.

"What?" she shouted, her headache not gone.

"Sakura-san, the meeting started thirty minutes ago" It was Shizunes voice.

"What?" Sakura rushed up, ignoring her head and threw up the door. "the meeting has started?"

"Yes, I was told to find you" Shizune said, looking worried. "Are you okay"

"Yhea… I'm fine" with that Sakura rushed to the meeting.

---

Many hours later she was in her bathtub, enjoying the hot water and reflecting on the day. After the meeting Tsunade had scolded her which didn't help her head get any better. She hoped that her head would be back to normal in the morning since she had promised to meet Ino at their favourite café. But for now she was kind of happy, even with a bad day and a head that hated her.

'All thanks to the fact that it soon is Christmas, That makes one happy' she thought to her self.

---

As soon as she was done in the bathroom she walked to her room and glanced up at the dark sky. She watched the moon and the stars for a short while, just enjoying the silence. She climbed in to her bed, and quickly fell asleep. The last thought that passed her mind was simple_ 'I forgot my hot coco'_


	4. 4th December

**4th December **

Haruno Sakura was sitting in her favourite café and opposite her was one of her best friends, the 2nd loudest blonde in all of Konoha. She and Ino had planed a day together for weeks but today was the first day they both had time too meet up.

"So" Sakura started "have you decided what to give Shikamaru?"

"I have no Idea! I've already gotten a few things for his parents but for him, I really don't know what to get." The blonde took a sip of her tea.

"I wish I could help, but I don't know him that good" Sakura said with a sad smile.

"But you're smart! Please" Ino begged.

"I'll try!" the rosette said before taking a sip of her hot coco.

---

Hours later Ino and Sakura were walking down the streets looking for ideas. This far they had scored zero, and they were half way through town. Suddenly Sakura stopped in front of a small shop that sold Shogi-games.

"How about one of those?" Sakura pointed towards the games.

"He's got like four of them" Ino replied.

"But not one personal from you" Sakura said. "The guy who owns the shop makes the games. Ask him to do a special."

"I told you, you were smart" Ino said and giving her best friend a hug. "Thank you!"

"Don't thank me yet. We should talk with the owner first"

"Right" Ino let out a laugh. "I'll do that" With that they walked inside the store.

---

Sakura sat in her sofa, enjoying a good book. After She and Ino had managed to make the owner do a special game for Shikamaru the two girls had said there goodbyes. Sakura had gone by the hospital to work her shifts when she was done there she had gotten home.

Right there, in her living room with a few lit candles, a good book and a Christmas-CD playing in the background, she felt happy and content.


	5. 5th December

**5th December**

Sakura had a deadline for her paperwork, and that day was today. Actually, It was one week ago but she had managed to talk Tsunade in to have extra time. And now she was sitting in her living room, trying to do it but she somehow got distracted all the time. That was all Naruto and Kakashis fault. Both of them had a day off and decided to spend it in her home, eating her food and annoy her.

"Saaaaaaakuuuuraaaaa-chaaaaaaan!" Naruto shouted from the kitchen "Where's the ramen?"

"Don't have any, go home! I'm trying to work here!" Sakura answered, quite annoyed.

"But you almost never se us any more" Naruto whined as he joined Sakura and Kakashi in the living room.

"We had lunch together just a few days ago, and I meet Kakashi yesterday" She gave him a glare.

"Not often enough" He wined. "Kakashi, Help me out!"

Kakashi looked up from his book and gave them a smile, "Sakura, you don't see us often enough"

"Thank you" Naruto smiled while Sakura glared at the copy-nin.

"I know! But I have to give these to Tsunade before midnight! I'm already a week late!"

"To bad" Kakashi said "Not our fault"

"You were the ones dragging me out of my house and took me to a bar. Of course it wasn't your fault" Sakura said sarcastically.

"I know" Naruto shouted. "Let's order food and watch a good movie and then get wasted"

"NO!" Sakura shouted. "Please, just let me finish this. I'm almost done"

"How about, the two of us go out and get food and sake" Kakashi said to Naruto.

"Let's do it" Naruto said and got up. "Come on sensei! Let's Go!"

"Have fun don't come back!" Sakura said as they walked out her door and continued with her work.

---

Forty minutes later Kakashi and Naruto walked in to her apartment. After Narutos quick explanation about how long lines there were every where and how slow people was and how much he hated to wait for food, the three of them started eating.

"At least I'm done with the paperwork's, and you guys bought me food"

"See! You should hang out with us more" Naruto said with a big smile.

"But I meet you guys almost every day unless you are on a long mission."

"So?" Naruto said before he shoved almost all his food into his mouth. Sakura just shook her head.

When they were done they all sat down in her living room with a cup of warm sake. That was where they stayed the rest of that evening, just sitting, watching TV and enjoying each others company.


	6. 6th December

**6th December**

Sakura was sitting in Tsunades office, waiting for the Hokage. Today was the day when Tsunade and Sakura were going to plan the annual Christmas-party. The most celebration all of the ninjas were having, usually a live band played, there was loads of alcohol and a time when everyone was happy, no one dwelling on what had happened, who they had lost or who they would loose.

"We should hang mistletoes everywhere" Tsunade said.

"In every door at least, and we have to find a new band"

"We have to?"

"Yes, the ones playing last year refuse to play after the incident"

"What incident?"

"You don't remember?" Tsunade shook her head "Let's just say they'll never play here again."

"Okay" Tsunade answered, taking a sip of her sake "what else will be needed?"

After a few moments of silence Sakura came up with an Idea. "How about we'll make it a masquerade, like an old-time masquerade with masks and pretty dresses and costumes?"

"Sounds like a plan"

-----

Many hours later, all of them filled with detailed planning, calling for a band and loads of other important things, Sakura was finally back home. She had stopped y Ichirakus to take some dinner with her home and now she was sitting in her couch enjoying the food and a bad comedy on the TV.

-----

That night, as Sakura sat in her room, drinking hot coco and reading one of her favourite books, snow slowly started to fall again. Sakura finished her coco, put her book down and looked out the window. She sat there for several minutes, not moving, just watching the snow fall softly and thinking to herself.

_'Please Mr. Santa Claus, Please let them all be here at Christmas, safe and unharmed. I need them here.'_


	7. 7th December

**7th December**

Sakura was sitting at one of the local pubs with a bunch of her oldest friends. There was Ino, Shikamaru, Hinata, Neji, Kiba and of course Sakura. The rest of the 'Konoha 12' was on missions. It ad been a long time since all twelve of them were together, she hoped they all would be home for the Christmas party.

"And then he came against me, Like this" Kiba said and showed with his hands, making the others laugh.

"That's good Kiba" Neji said "I guess you won the battle, unharmed"

"He was anything but unharmed, he was a mess when he entered the hospital" Sakura laughed and the others joined in.

"But I won" Kiba smiled at them.

"We know that" Ino said "you always win"

"Yhea, you never tell us about your failures" Neji said

"I don't fail!" Kiba shouted.

"Sure" Sakura rolled her eyes.

"You don't believe me? I'll show you!"

"How?" She asked.

"We'll get really drunk and then we have to build an awesome snowman!" Kiba grinned and finished his beer. "I challenge you all!"

"But one of us has to be the judge"

"I'll do that" Shikamaru said "I don't want to build any snowman, to troublesome." He muttered making them laugh.

"Let's do this" Kiba shouted and so the drinking contest started.

-----

Later that night the five very wasted ninjas and their judge and supervisor were outside in the snow building snowmen. They were tumbling around, shouting, laughing and throwing snowballs at each other. Shikamaru, the only one that still was sober, laughed so hard at his friends. It took them a while, but all five of them managed to make a snowman. Neither of the snowmen looked so good, but they could have been worse.

"I can't decide. You'll have to go back here tomorrow and look at them, they are hilarious" he laughed.

"What!" Kiba shouted. "That's mean"

"I'm getting cold" Hinata said.

"Let's go home then, Hinata-sama" Neji said and took her arm. Kiba joined the two of them since he was also going that way.

"I'll take Ino home" Shikamaru said. "Good night everyone"

"Good night" Sakura waved at them before she walked towards her own apartment. This night had been a really fun night, something Sakura felt was needed more often in their life as ninjas.


	8. 8th December

**8th December**

Sakura was sitting home enjoying a cup of hot coco and reflected on the day. Nothing special had really happened; she had worked her shifts and been in meetings about the Christmas party.

During her lunch hour she had gone out too look at the snowmen. It was not a pretty sight to bee seen. Neither one of them looked like a real snowman.  
She recognised hers, that looked like a very odd dog but when she did it she said it should be a pony. Why she would make a pony-snowman she still didn't know.  
Then there was this obscene thing, she guessed it was Kibas. The rest was most piles of snow with happy smiles made of stones, crooked smiles.

The only one that looked kind of like a snowman, she guessed was Hinatas. Simply because Hinata had left her scarf on it.  
After laughing really much she got back to the hospital and started working again. And now she was back home, enjoying some Christmas songs, her hot coco and watching it snow.

Suddenly she felt like she had to go out, she wanted to catch a snowflake on her tongue. So she quickly put on some shoes, took her mittens and a scarf and rushed out. As soon as she came out she started to dance around, singing Christmas songs and trying to catch snowflakes.

What she didn't know was that Kakashi was watching her, a smile on his lips as he saw her dance around singing and laughing to her self.  
_'Nice to know that she's still the innocent little girl I meet all those years ago'_


	9. 9th December

**9th December**

Sakura was sitting at a restaurant with her three favourite girls, Ino, Hinata and Tenten. She was enjoying listening to the other girls talking about their love lives; she didn't really have one to talk about.

"I mean Neji is wonderful, I really hope he'll ask me to marry him soon."

"He really should" Ino said "you guys have been together like forever"

"Only three years" Tenten defended her relationship.

"We'll me and Shikamaru has been together one and a half and he'll probably ask me on New Years Eve."

"That's so wonderful" Hinata said, smiling.

"Yhea it is!" Sakura said. "But what other plans do you guys have for New Year?"

"I don't have any actually" Ino told them.

"Me neither!" Tenten added and Hinata shook her head as a no.

"Neither do I" Sakura said and started thinking, while finishing her food. The other three did the same thing.

"I know we should gather our teams and have a nice dinner!" Sakura said after a few moments.

"Yes! With formal clothing and then Shikamaru can pop the question" Ino added, getting excited.

"Unless he's too lazy" Hinata added making the four girls laugh.

-----

The evening had continued with loads of talking about absolutely every thing between heaven and hell. And now, as Sakura took a quick shower she remembered why they had these monthly dinners. To simply hang out and get updated about each others life since all of them lived so alike but still very different.  
Hinata was now the head of the Hyuuga clan, Ino did a few undercover works sometimes but mostly she ran the flower-shop, Tenten was ANBU working under Shikamaru and Sakura was working at the hospital and as Tsunades right hand.  
Sakura finished her shower and went to bed. Tomorrow she should try and find something for Naruto and had no Idea what.


	10. 10th December

**10th December**

Sakura was walking around town looking for something to give Naruto. Even though he was her best friend she had no idea of what she should get him. She had been looking for something for ages now; but she couldn't find anything that screamed 'Naruto'.

_'God, this is so hard' _she thought to herself _'If he'd been a girl I'd probably give him earrings or something, to bad he isn't'_

Sakura continued to look around. Not finding anything at all. She had been in every shop she could find. That was until she walked by a yarn-store. In the window there were yarns, knitted scarves, hats and mittens and in a basket there was this soft orange-yarn that instantly reminded her of Naruto. Right there and then she decided to knit him a scarf of that very yarn.

She walked in to the store. Inside there was shelves on the wall filled with yarns of different colours and kinds. It was kind of small but really nice and it smelled wonderful, like; coffee, yarn and winter. Sakura fell in love the moment she walked inside. _'If this scarf gets good I'm going to start to knit'_

-----

When she came home she made her self a cup of hot chocolate before sitting down and learning how to knit. It took her a while but many tries and redoings later she finally got the hang of it. She took a quick glance at the clock and realised that it was way past midnight, and she had to get up early tomorrow since she was going with Tsunade on a meeting in Suna.

_'I'll bring this'_ she thought and put her knitting in her bag _'If I get any free time that is'_.


	11. 11th December

**11th December**

Sakura and her mentor were on their way to Suna to have a big meeting together with Gaara about what to do with the threat from Iwagakure. Halfway to Suna, all the snow was gone, and even though it wasn't very warm it was way warmer than it had been in Konoha. "Sakura" Tsunade said

"Yes, Tsunade-sama?" Sakura asked.

"Any thoughts about how you're going to spend Christmas?"

"Well, I do hope that my team is home for Christmas so we can celebrate it together" Sakura smiled wishfully.

"That sounds lovely" Tsunade said, remembering the Christmases she spent with her old team.

"How will you spend yours then?" Sakura asked curious.

"Getting drunk with Jiraya I guess." Tsunade gave a small laugh.

"Sounds…" Sakura thought for a short while "…nice?!"

"Its tradition" She gave Sakura a wink.

-----

Sakura and Tsunade entered the village and was greeted by the kazekage him self.

"Tsunade-sama" Gaara gave her a light bow.

"Gaara-sama" She said with mutual respect for the young kazekage.

"Hello Gaara" Sakura said and gave him a quick hug.

"Hi Sakura. It's nice seeing you again" He said and she gave him a smile.

"Should we maybe go to my office and start the meeting?"

"Sounds like an Idea" Tsunade said and after a quick walk through the town, the meeting started.

They spent many hours that day talking about the Iwa-situation. Late that night Sakura and Tsunade came back to their hotel. Still they hadn't come to a solution, they would continue tomorrow.

Sakura was in her room, knitting and enjoying the sounds of another town than her own.

_'Today is a simple day'_ she thought as she knitted. _'Nothing has really happened, but I'm happy with that. Simple days are nice!"_


	12. 12th December

**12th December**

Sakura and the Hokage were on their way home from Suna. The meeting had gone very well, they had finally decided what to do and when to do it. After a quick goodbye she and Tsunade left the desert and started to move towards home. Sakura was tired, it was a long way home and not many hors left until they were supposed to meet up with the elders to tell them about what had happened.

Sakura was tired of these boring meetings. After New Year she would try to get some field-jobs again, hopefully with her old team. Some days she really missed working with them. But to be able to work with Konohas elite she have to train harder and more than before, even if she'll just be their medic she feels like she should be able to keep up with them really good.

-----

Sakura wasn't back in her own apartment until late that evening. The first thing she did was a cup of hot coco before preparing for tomorrow. Kakashi would come over and they would make gingerbreads, it had become a tradition to the two of them. Making gingerbreads while drinking eggnog and having a nice, simple and Christmasy day together.

That was one of the reasons she loved Christmas so much. Simply because she spent so much time with the ones she loves the most. Nothing beats that. When she was done she sat down in her room, drinking her coco, knitting and watching the moon and the stars, longing for the next day.


	13. 13th December

**13th December**

Sakura woke up early, preparing everything. Even though Kakashi was Kakashi he never showed up late for their Gingerbread-making. Sakura filled two cups with eggnog and smiled to herself. She put them on the table, next to the dough and all the forms they would use. The oven was on, ready for the first baking tin filled with odd gingerbread figures.

"Hello there" Kakashi said from the door, making Sakura jump.

"You scared me" she smiled.

"You were in your own little world" he gave a laugh.

"Always" she laughed.

"Ohh, Eggnog" Kakashi reached for one of the cups.

"We should start baking" Sakura said throwing some flour towards him.

"I know" He laughed and she started to roll out some of the dough, making it the perfect thickness.

"Should we do a house?" Kakashi asked.

"Sounds like a great idea" Sakura smiled and they started the making of a big house.

-----

Hours later the two of them looked at the kitchen table witch were filled with gingerbread men, pigs, goats, angels, clouds, moons, stars, hearts and loads of other things. They had burnt about three baking tins, those would they give Naruto later. Sakura had also garnished the house and put it together. It looked like a shack but she loved it since they had so much fun doing it.

She decided to eat one of the gingerbread men, and of course she started at the head.

"Why do you always start with the head?" He asked her, while they sat down in the sofa.

"Then the rest won't hurt as much!" she said taking another bite "and it's not like they need it!"

"I guess your right" Kakashi sighed.

"I'm always right" she said with a laugh.

"I guess you are" He said, starting the movie that they always watched after baking.

"Shut up and watch the movie" Sakura said and finished her gingerbread.


End file.
